Guided missile



o. OLSSON ET AL 3,296,927

GUIDED MISSILE Filed 001:. 7, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS V 01.0.: OLssoN A/ILS GUN R A/FDEBY ATTORNEYS Jam 10; 1967 Filled Oct; 7, 1964 0.0L SSON ETAL 3,296,927

GUIDED MISSILE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS OLOF' OLSSON N/LS GUNNHR NEDEBY BY MM ATTORNEYS 33916327 GUIDED MISSILE I OlohOlsson, Bofors, and Nils Gunnar Nedeby, Sodertalje, Sweden, assignors to Aktiebolaget Bofors, Bofors, Sweden, a Swedish company Filed Oct. 7,1964, Ser. No. 402,164 Claimspriority, application Sweden Oct. 16, 1963, 11,371/63. 7 Claims. (Cl. 89--1.8)

Thezpresent invention relates to rocket-type missiles which :are: launched from a stationary, usually groundbasedlaunching barrel which may be so designed that it can double as, a transport and storage container. More particularly, the invention relates to a guided rocket-type q missile whichis connected to a stationary, usually groundbasedtransmitterby one or several wire conductors. The wire conductors serve. to transmit control signals from theitransmitter to: a suitable receiver on the missile to effect continuous guidance of the missile toward the target. The conductor wires are initially stored in one or several magazines on the missile and are gradually withdrawn from the magazines when and. while the missile is airmotor is started. These gases flow out through the respective open endiof the container constituting the launching barrel and thus impact upon the conductor wires until the missile is clear of; the launching barrel. The wires used in the. guidance systems afore-refcrred to are generally very fine wires for reasons of weight and flexibility, the wire diameters being usually in the order of 0.1 mm. Such fineiwires, tend to be torn oif which, of course, prevents guidance, ofa missile in flight.

It isa broad object of theyinvention to provide a novel I and; improved deviceprotecting the portions of the conductor wires which tend to be exposed to the blast of the exhaust. gases when the missile is launched, thereby pre venting breaking of the wires during the critical starting period.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a ,novelaand improved device in which the wire portions tending to be exposed to the blast of the gases during the starting period are protected by a cover capable of withstanding the impact of the hot gases without appreciably interfering with the required low weight and high flexibility ofcthe wires. 7

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be pointed out, hereinafter and will be set forth in theappended claims constituting part of the application.

In the accompanying drawing a preferred embodiment of theinvention is shown by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.

In: the drawing:

FIGLI is a perspective view, partly broken open, of a missile and the launching container therefor equipped .witha wire-guiding device according to the invention,

. FIGLZ is a perspective, skeletonized view of the wire guiding device and of the parts of the container and the missile .directly coacting with the device, the respective containerand. missile parts being shown in phantom, and

FIG; 3 isa perspective detail view of FIG. 2 on an enlarged scale.

Referring now to that figures in detail, there is shown a rocket-type missile 1 of conventional design having a United States Patent "ice gas exhaust nozzle at one end. The missile motor is not illustrated or described since it does not constitute part of the invention. It is sufiicient to visualize that a jet blast of gases will emanate from the nozzle of the missile when the missile motor is started. The missile is shown as being placed in an elongated box or container 2 which serves both as a storage and transport container for the missile and as a launching barrel in a manner which is not essential for theunderstanding of the invention, but is well known in the art. The launching box has a rear cover 3 and a front cover 4 which are removed when the missile is reduced for launching. A frame 5 is secured to the rear end of box 2 by any suitable means such as bracket 6. The frame supports a connector 7 which should be visualized as being suitably connected to a ground-based control transmitter which is not illustrated and should be visualized as being conventional. Conductors 8 and 9 which are at least partly protected by insulation sleeves 10 and 11 respectively, extend from connector 7 as part of the circuit connections between the control transmitter on the ground and a suitable and conventional receiver (not shown) on the missile. The circuit connections from the receiver to ground are completed by one or several conductor wires 27. These wires are initially wound up in suitable magazines 13 on the missile, one of the magazines being shown in FIG. 2. As the missile becomes airborne, the wires 27 are gradually withdrawn from the magazines so that the missile remains in continuous mechanical and electrical connection with the control transmitter.

Frame 5 mounts two substantially rigid bars 14 and 15 which extend along two opposite walls of the box toward its forward end. Insulation plates 16 and 17 respectively are secured to the ends of bars 14 and 15 opposite to frame 5. To simplify the illustration, the guiding device for only one of the wires 27 is shown in detail, but it should be understood that the guiding device for each of the conductor wires is substantially the same.

As can best be seen in FIG. 3, each of the bars forms a substantially U-channeled strip 18. The branch or shank 19 of the strip terminates in an inwardly turned flange 21 which faces toward the interior of box 2. A strip 22 of soft cushioning material, such as foam rubber or other soft rubber, is inserted into the channel of U-strip 18 and is secured along its inner longitudinal edge, for instance by clamping the cushion strip between branches 19 and 20 of strip 18. The width of the cushion strip is such that the strip is forced outwardly by flange 21 to form a lip 23, as is clearly shown in the figure.

Conductor wire 9 extending from connector 7 is passed through a hole 24 near the rear end of branch 20 of strip 18 and runs along the bight of the strip below the lower edge of cushion strip 22 to a hole 25 near the forward end of bar 15. The end of wire 9 is pulled out through a hole 25 near the front end of bar 15 and soldered to plate 17 at 26. Conductor wire 27 extending from magazine 13 is also soldered to solder point 26, as will be more fully described hereinafter, so that there is electrical connection between wire 27 and connector 7, and thus between the receiver on the missile and the transmitter on the ground.

Wire 27 is extended through an outlet 28 of magazine 13 and a wire guide such as an eye 29 secured on the magazine body near the exhaust end thereof. The portion of wire 27 extending from about eye 29 to solder point 26 is loosely encompassed by an insulation tube 30 made of a material capable of withstanding the blast action of the exhaust gases at least for a limited period. A suitable material has been found to be a plastic known under the trade-name Systoflex. However, many other materials are known and readily available in the market. As it is readily evident from FIGS. 2 and 3, the portion of the wire encompassed by tube 39 is the one which will be exposed to the blast of the bases when the missile is launched.

As shown in FIG. 3, a major portion of tube 30 is initially fitted into the gap defined by rigid flange 21 and soft lip 23 whereby this sleeve portion is frictionally retained by the elasticity of the lip. The retained portion of sleeve 30 extends from the rear end of bar 15 to a point close to the forward end of the bar where it is guided through a hole 31 in flange 21 and through an aligned hole 32 in insulation plate 17. It is then passed a few times through holes 33 and 34 in plate 17 to form several loops before wire 27 in sleeve 30 is joined to conductor wire 9 at solder point 26, as previously described. As it is evident, the loops of sleeve 30 constitute in effect a strain relief for the solder connection of wire 27 at 26.

The wire guiding device of the invention further comprises frangible holding means shown in the form of a thin metal wire 35 which is secured at one end to the missile body, for instance by means of a second eye 36 near eye 29. Wire 35 is tightly wound a number of times about the portion of sleeve 30 extending between eye 29 and the rear end of bar 15 whereby wire 35 impedes sliding of sleeve 30 and the wire 27 therein through eye 29 for a purpose which will be more fully described hereinafter.

The operation of the missile launching installation as hereinbefore described is as follows:

Let is be assumed that all the components are in the positions shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and that it is now intended to launch the missile.

As it is evident from the previous description, a length of wire 27 with its insulation sleeve 30 is held in bar 15 by the frictional grip between flange 21 and lip 23 and it is also restrained on the missile by wire 35. The tensile strength of this wire is so selected that it is higher than the strength of the frictional grip by which sleeve 30 is held in bar 15. When the missile begins to move in box 2, sleeve 30 and the wire 27 therein will be gradually pulled out of bar 15 starting from the rear end of the bar until the entire captive length of the sleeve and the wire therein are withdrawn from bar 15. The end of wire 27 remains safely secured to the bar due to the manner in which it is anchored to insulation plate 17.

As the forward movement of the missile continues, the free portion of sleeve 30 will become straightened out forward of the end of bar 15 to which the sleeve and the wire therein are anchored. Up to this moment no Wire can be withdrawn from the magazine as wire 35 maintains sleeve 30 stationarily in reference to eye 29. The tensile strength of wire 35 is selected so that it is less than the tensile strength of sleeve 30. Accordingly, wire 35 will be broken when the missile and with it eye 36 move beyond the point at which sleeve 30 is straightened out. Wire 27 will now be withdrawn from the magazine as the missile continues its flight.

As it is evident from the previous description, withdrawal of the wire from the magazines does not begin until the missile has substantially left the launching barrel and thus no part of unprotected wire is exposed to the blast of the exhaust gases during the launching operation.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to a certain now preferred example and embodiment of the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art, after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is intended therefore to cover all such changes and modifications in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A wire-guiding device of a ground-controlled rockettype missile which is launched from a stationary launching barrel and when in flight is connected to a stationary transmitter by at least one conductor wire for transmitting control signals to the missile, said device comprising a wire magazine arranged to be secured on the missile, a wire guide arranged to be secured on the missile, a wire-retaining means arranged to be secured on the launching barrel, said retaining means including an elongated gripping member for gripping a wire portion with a frictional grip, a conductor wire extending from within said magazine through said wire guide to said gripping member and along the same and being secured at its outer end to said retaining means, and a protective pliable sleeve loosely encompassing the wire between a point thereof adjacent to said wire guide and a point adjacent to the secured outer end of the wire, whereby a wire portion between the wire guide on the missile and the secured end on said retaining means is protected by said sleeve from the exhaust gases generated when the missile is launched and is gradually pulled out of said gripping member for withdrawal of the wire from the magazine when the missile becomes airborne.

2. A wire-guiding device of a ground-controlled rocket-type missile which is launched from a stationary launching barrel and when in flight is connected to a stationary transmitter by at least one conductor wire for transmitting control signals to the missile, said device comprising a wire magazine arranged to be secured on the missile, a wire guide arranged to be secured on the missile, a wire-retaining means arranged to be secured on said launching barrel, said retaining means including an elongated gripping member for gripping a wire portion with a frictional grip, a conductor wire extending from within said magazine through said wire guide to said gripping member and along the same and being secured at its outer end to said retaining means, a protective pliable sleeve loosely encompassing the wire between a point thereof adjacent to said wire guide and a point adjacent to the secured end of the wire, and frangible holding means holding said sleeve stationary in reference to said wire guide whereby a wire portion between said wire guide and the secured outer wire end on said retaining means is protected by said sleeve from the exhaust gases generated when the missile is launched and is gradually pulled out of said gripping member for withdrawal from the magazine when the missile becomes airborne, said holding means being broken when the sleeve is fully pulled out of said gripping member.

3. A wire-guiding device according to claim 2 wherein said gripping member comprises a substantially rigid channeled element and a cushion strip fitted into said channeled element to form therewith a receiving gap for receiving the respective portion of the sleeve and the wire therein with a frictional grip.

4. A wire-guiding device according to claim 3 wherein said channeled element has a substantially U-shaped cross section, one branch of said element terminating in an inwardly turned flange, said gap being defined between said cushion strip and said flange, and wherein said outer wire end is secured to said gripping member at one end thereof.

5. A wire-guiding device according to claim 2 wherein said frangible holding means comprises a restraining wire secured to said sleeve and held stationarily in reference to the wire guide, the tensile strength of said restraining wire being higher than the force required to pull the sleeve out of said gripping member but less than the tensile strength of the sleeve.

6. In an installation for launching a ground-controlled rocket-type missile which when in flight is connected to a stationary launching barrel by at least one conductor wire for transmitting control signals to the missile, in combination, a ground-based stationary launching barrel, an elongated rocket-type missile placed in said barrel for launching therefrom by exhaust gases of the missile, a wire magazine mounted upon the missile for withdrawal of conductor wire therefrom while the missile is missile wrearward of said magazine in reference to the exhaust end of the missile, a wire-retaining means, said retaining means including an elongated gripping member secured at .one end to an inside wall portion of said barrel and extending lengthwise of the missile, the forward end of: the gripping member being located forward of said wire: guidexand the other end rearward thereof, said conductor wire extending from said magazine through said wire guide. to. and along said gripping member, frictionally held therein, the outer end of the conductor wire being secured to said retaining means, a pliable protective sleeve loosely encompassing the wire portion extending between said wire guide and the secured outer end of the wire, 1; and ,frangible holding means securing the sleeve portion adjacent to; the wire guide to the missile body whereby upon launching of the missile'the initial forward movement thereof in reference to the barrel gradually pulls the sleeve and the wire portion therein out of said gripping member until the sleeve and the wire portion therein are substantially extended between said wire guide and the secured outer conductor wire end, the continued forward movement of the missile causing breaking of the holding means and freeing the conductor wire for withdrawal from the magazine.

7. An installation according to claim 6 wherein said frangible holding means comprises a restraining wire secured to said missile and said sleeve, the tensile strength of said retaining wire being higher than the force required to pull the sleeve out of said gripping member but less than the tensile strength of the sleeve.

No references cited.

BENJAMIE A. BORCHELI, Primary Examiner. V

S. W. ENGLE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A WIRE-GUIDING DEVICE OF A GROUND-CONTROLLED ROCKETTYPE MISSILE WHICH IS LAUNCHED FROM A STATIONARY LAUNCHING BARREL AND WHEN IN FLIGHT IS CONNECTED TO A STATIONARY TRANSMITTER BY AT LEAST ONE CONDUCTOR WIRE FOR TRANSMITTING CONTROL SIGNALS TO THE MISSILE, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING A WIRE MAGAZINE ARRANGED TO BE SECURED ON THE MISSILE, A WIRE GUIDE ARRANGED TO BE SECURED ON THE MISSILE, A WIRE-RETAINING MEANS ARRANGED TO BE SECURED ON THE LAUNCHING BARREL, SAID RETAINING MEANS INCLUDING AN ELONGATED GRIPPING MEMBER FOR GRIPPING A WIRE PORTION WITH A FRICTIONAL GRIP, A CONDUCTOR WIRE EXTENDING FROM WITHIN SAID MAGAZINE THROUGH SAID WIRE GUIDE TO SAID GRIPPING MEMBER AND ALONG THE SAME AND BEING SECURED AT ITS OUTER END TO SAID RETAINING MEANS, AND A PROTECTIVE PLIABLE SLEEVE LOOSELY ENCOMPASSING THE WIRE BETWEEN A POINT THEREOF ADJACENT TO SAID WIRE GUIDE AND A POINT ADJACENT TO THE SECURED OUTER END OF THE WIRE, WHEREBY A WIRE POR- 